Daniel Espino's journey of perseverance: 'This boy has been through everything'


CLEVELAND — Daniel Espino is the epitome of perseverance. He was a reason to admire every action: from the deep breath as the bullpen door opened, to the adrenaline-filled run toward the field, and the recording of 14 behind the high bricks. Espino is grateful for every moment because none of them — which he will experience for the first time as a professional player — seemed possible at one time. Shoulder surgery. Strive to be able to throw the ball at 70 mph. Second shoulder surgery. The monotony in the Arizona desert, where time and his development as an athlete seemed to stand still. The sudden loss of a father and the precious bond between them. What has Espino learned most about himself through four difficult years? “My resilience,” he said Friday afternoon at Progressive Field. As he uttered those four words without hesitation, a wide smile appeared on his face. He's been laughing these past few days. There were also tears. But mostly smiles. “The feeling of gratitude I have,” he said, “I can't describe.” The Cleveland Guardians promoted Espino to the big roster on Friday. Triple-A Columbus manager Andy Tracy broke the good news to him after the game Wednesday afternoon. "This kid has been through everything you can think of and more," Guardians coach Stephen Vogt said. "… It's a great story." That story begins at age 15, when Espino left Panama to pursue a professional career in the United States. He could not imagine the number of difficulties he would encounter on this path. A first-round pick with a ball that regularly reached triple digits, a top prospect primed to become a shining star, he spent four seasons nearly erased from his resume. As he played catch on the left field line Friday afternoon, he thought about a long-pitch game he participated in on the same green seven years ago. His big dream seems closer than ever. Sports, life and misfortunes kept him waiting. Cleveland selected him with the 24th pick that summer. Coming into 2021, he was recording record numbers in hits in A-ball, and at the start of the 2022 season, he made Double-A hitters look incapable. On April 23, 2022, he recorded 14 hits in five innings against the Bowie Baysox. He followed up with another strong performance six days later. And then, he did not appear in any professional matches for the next 1,241 days. "I saw him in spring training in 2022, and I thought, 'This is the best pitcher I've ever seen,'" teammate Tanner Bibee said. "And I still feel that way, to be honest. It was the most electric I've ever seen, and given what he's been through, it's truly a miracle that he was able to do that. But it proves that he's a hard worker and a great teammate. "I've never seen so many people so excited to see someone debut." To get through the surgeries — one in May 2023 and one in November 3, 2024 — and conquering the recovery process requires a lot of support. Espino thanked his family, the Goodyear, Arizona team, the club staff, the team chefs, the medical staff and the pitching coaches. He described each member of that network as "adding a little salt to the seasoning." I'm just a product of that." The closest brother, however, was his father, Danilo, a doctor in Panama who specialized in treating patients with ulcers or diabetes. Danilo was known for his unwavering confidence and, as his son said, saved "many fingers and many legs." Danilo faced prostate cancer with the same comforting attitude, which made his death in November 2023 all the more poignant. surprise as the family was preparing to fly home for Thanksgiving. Espino said his father "never showed pain" and "never had a bad day." Danilo won't get to see his son play in major league baseball, but Espino will honor him every game with the number on his uniform, the reverse of 14, as a tribute to his father's birthday on February 14. of the family who came to Cleveland to watch Espino sit in the center bullpen. That included his mother, who he claimed drowned out the background noise every time he took the field. Espino's girlfriend and two brothers also refused to fly with the family to Columbus last September when he played in his first game in nearly 3½ years told him she was waiting for his major league baseball debut. Finally, she got on the plane. But if his tenacity showed anything, it was that he had the power to decide how his next move would play out.